Flexible, nonelastic container of viscous material with rotary compress discharge pump



B. B. GILMORE NELASTIC CONTAIN ROTARY COMPRESS DI OF VISCOUS MATERIAL SCHARGE PUMP Feb. 9, 1954 1 FLEXIBLE, NO

WITH Filed Nov. 25, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l A'ITORNEYS Feb. 9, 1954 B. B. GILMORE 2,663,637

FLEXIBLE, NONELASTIC CONTAINER OF VISCOUS MATERIAL WITH ROTARY COMPRESS DISCHARGE PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1949 to a container for viscous material.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 FLEXIBLE, NONELASTIC CONTAINER OF VISCOUS MATERIAL WITH ROTARY COMPRESS DISCHARGE PUMP Burdette B. Gilmore, Pelham Manor, N. Y., assignor to West Disinfecting Company, a corporation of New York Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 129,134

Claims. (Cl. 22295) This invention relates to dispensing devices, more particularly for dispensing heavy liquids and. creams that do not run or pour freely by gravity.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a rugged and compact dispensing device of simple, relatively inexpensive construction, that is neat and pleasing in appearance, that is simple to fill without mess or disorder and without exposure of the material to the air, that will keep the contents thereof clean and free from dust and dirt and from exposure to air, and free from clogging, even if left standing idle for relatively long periods of time, that is devoid of valves, plungers or springs, and has few moving parts, none of which is likely to jam or become out of order, and that will dependably dispense desired quantities of viscous material without waste or excessive flow and will not drip while out of use and that is easy to clean and service.

According to a feature of the invention a compressible, self-restoring tube, normally biased to open-bore condition is connected at its inlet end By means of pressure progressively applied to and removed from the tube along the length thereof substantially from the container to the outlet of the tube, the latter may be sealed at the point of compression and the contents of the tube advanced and expelled from the outlet end thereof, and as the pressure is progressively removed from the tube it will return to its normal openbore condition creating a void therein.

In a preferred construction the pressure is applied to the tube by a rotor coaxial with an arcuate channel upon which the tube is seated, the rotor having a plurality of spaced projections along the periphery thereof, at least one of which normally compresses the tube against the channel to seal the tube and at least one of which is spaced from the tube and movable thereagainst to compress and seal the latter upon turning of the rotor.

The container is constructed and arranged automatically to efiect flow of material therefrom into said voided tube to re-charge the latter. While such flow of material could be effected by a follower spring urging a piston in the container such material substantially completely fills the bladder without voids and the outer surface of the bladder is exposed to atmospheric pressure to cause the wall thereof to become displaced in direction to diminish the volumetric capacity of the bladder so that the contents thereof may flow into the voided tube to charge the latter.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the device, with parts broken away,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal view partly in cross section taken along line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view partly in cross section with parts broken away, taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale taken along line 55 of Fig. 4, and.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the wall plate.

Referring now to the drawings, in a preferred embodiment herein chosen to illustrate the invention, the dispenser includes a casing I l which, although it could be of any suitable construction, desirably comprises a pair of complementary, elongated shells l2 and I3. The lower portion l4 and I5 of each of the respective shells l2 and I3 is of reduced width as shown in Fig. 4, each lower portion desirably being conformed to have a laterally extending mounting plate 16 at the rear thereof, preferably formed integrally therewith, the juxtaposed shells being conformed, as shown in Fig. 1, to define an opemng ii at the rear thereof.

The shells are preferably retained together with their rims 19 in engagement, by means of screws 2| threaded into transversely aligned, laterally extending bosses 22 desirably formed integral with each of the shells at the lower portions l4, l5 thereof. A second retaining means is also desirably provided, comprising a band 23, preferably of metal, hich girdles the juxtaposed shells l2 and I3. Band 23, which may serve as a name plate, is secured in place at the rear by means of a screw 24 which extends through registering openings 25 in the overlapping tab ends 28 of the band 23 and is threaded into a suitable opening in a recessed mounting bar 2? preferably formed integral with and extending laterally from rim 23 of shell I3, turning of screw 24 pulling tab ends 26 of the band 23 into the recess to tighten the band. A recessed finger 31 Which is desirably formed integral with and 3 extends laterally fro-m rim 3!] at the rear of shell I2 is associated with bar 21 and also serves to support the tab ends 25 of the band.

In order to ensure accurate alignment of shells l2 and lj3 when they "are secured together as above described/a plurality of dowel-pins 2e are desirably provided on one of said shells, illustratratively shell I2, extending laterally outward from the rim l9 thereof and registering with suitable openings (not shown) in the complementary rim l9 of shell 13.

To mount the casing, a w all plate 3! is provided, the lower edge 32 of whichgasf'shown jin Fig. 6, at each end thereof has an car 33 "e3?- tending at right angles to the face of plate 3! with a hook 34 depending therefrom;

When the plate 3| is afiixed to a wall as by screws 35 which extend through opening 36 in the face of plate 3], the'rear of the casing may be "positioned against the wall plate with the ter in op ing 11 ofthe casing and with the 34 immediately above 'thefroot ends 33 and 1396f mounting bar 21 and finger 3?, respec- GlY- z I rheIeasihg is then slid upwa tu so that the "lioksfb l engage'rb'ot ends 33 and '39'as shown in jFieS-FJL 3 and 4. While being held securely thefpirshed up position, the'casin'g is secured "to the wan by screws 49 which extend through oQfinings 4i inthe mountingplates i8. Y

With the mounting construction thus described, the casing is rigidly secured on a wall tawn 're'adilybe removed by merely removing screws 49 pushing downward for disengaggwau iatee y H v e o. y As"shown"inFigs.l to 4;a'fiexible substantially on elastic normally collapsed bladderfl, preffalhly of ffpla'stic is positioned in the "upper portion of the easin I I. Although the "bladder '44 ''culd he'suppor'tea-m anysuitable'manner, it is des irably suspended from a spring hanger 65. The latterf'preferabiy c'c'nhprises a cross piece, "fia iihg'a hhoi; '45 at eac end thereof, which hooks extendthrougheyelets '41 in 'a fin at de- "sii'ably 'for'ihed integral with the top of the blad- "di', "I lle'crosspiece h'a's a hair pin bend 49in 'th'e'mi'd'dle thereof through which extends a pin "5| preferably formed integral with the rim l9 'ofthe shell I2 'atthe top thereof and extending "laterally therefrom into a suitable recess 52 in theiuxtapdsed rim of shell [3. Thus, the bladder 'is supported in'upright position with the exter'i'or face thereof exposed to the outer air through opening H in the casing as shown in 'is'shown inF-ig. ,4, the reduced portions of the "shells' define a cavity 55 when the shells are secured together in .which the. pump mechanism of the dis enser is located and'also form shoulders 56 and 51 which function as a seat for a kin-1058i A V H The hub, 58 desirably has aslongitudinal bore 59 therethrough and a transverse b0re 6l communicating with said longitudinal bore 59.. The

.mouth 62 of the bladder 56 is secured to hub 58 in. communication with longitudinal bore 59. Although themouth 52 could be secured in any suitable manner, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; it

preferab y encompasses hub 58 and is 'affix'ed theretoby a band 63 which coacts with an annuhlar groove 54 in hub '58 securely to'retain the bladder in place. v. v

, Means. are provided securely .yet removably' :to

Jfitainhubjfi on its seat. .To this end a laterally extending filling conduit 66 preferably formed ber tube 76,;pressure Will'be'applied thereagainst integral with shell l2 extends into transverse bore 6| with the end 6'! of said conduit pressin against a washer 98 seated on an annular shoulder 59 formed by the reduced innermost portion of said 'trainsvers e bores 6] ahd a laterally extend mg "flange 65 preferably ferfhed integrn with shell 13 presses against one side of the hub thereby securely to retain end 61 against washer toprqyid a leak-proof seal. The outer end of p nduitQQQis dfeislirably threaded as at H to receiye a remoyable closure plug 12.

1 The juxtaposed shoulders 56, 51 of shells l2 an'dfijfaresb leonfoimed as to define a bore 14 itfigr efi'etwlljfifififwhich extends a nipple I5 preferably formed integral with hub 58 and having a coaxialbore. v

resilient compressible self-restoring tube 76 desirably of natural or synthetic rubber and having a relatively thick wall and small bore and normally biased to open bore condition has its inlet end Ti encompassingnipple I5 and'its outlet end 18 encompassing a discharge nozzle "19 positioned in a bore 8! conformed between the lower ends "of reduced portion 14 and 15.

The nipple liandanozzle 19 desirably have annular ridges 82 and83'respectively, which force the wall of the tubeoutwardlyiinto ridges which seat in. annulargroo'ves "84 and 85 :resp'ectivelyin bores '14 and '94 securely to retain the ends of the tube on the nipple and nozzle respectively and l'o'ck'such parts securely'iniposition in the-casing.

Tube To which extends through -cavity 55 may be seated along substantially its entirelen'gth in a channel or V raceway '81 desirably ';arcuate as shown, extending through "an. arcfof approximately .180 degrees and preferably'formed zintegral with the wall of theireduced p'ortion M at "the lower end'ofthe shell I2. v

Associated with tube "16 and channel 81 and rotatably mounted in cavity 55 in the casing-on anaxis'con'centric with theaxis of curvature of arcuate channel 'alis a rotorv member '88 r'desirably'having a plurality "of equally spaced projections on the periphery thereof, illustratively three in number designated 89' ,'89 and'89 Although 'the rotor'could be 'of any :suitable construction, it'desirably'comprises a disc'9 I having'a hub/92 aflixe'd as by casting on an 'axlew93 that i's'desirably knurled asshown. One end, of a'xle 93 is journalled'in' a bearing socket desirably formed in the side wall of shell l3 and the other end '96,,of'axle 93 extends through a bearing opening 9] in the opposed side wallof shell l2, the end 960i said roddesirably having a handle'98 affixed thereto as by set;screw' 99.

A, rotor plate, ")2 is affixed to rod 94 between bearing'socket 95 and hub 92 and has a plurality of equally spaced 'openingsjw therethroug-h along the periphery thereof, illustratively' three .a dr ot desb wr t 'p in ier oft $1150 9l and'the plate m. The channel '81 and'tiie .r a s m lr re so. s aced h t .w n,the q V ist t d y han le 'ifl'a zit e r lg e ee u cess ve brcue it into en a em ntW th rubto comp es t etuh ce e nst. channel 1 sqtlia .1 he bo eilfl go ithe iiub 'is ealesl the m 0f e nre sie l he i 1 3371121 ro l s l As shown in Fig. 3, as the arcuate channel 81 backs up the tube for approximately one half cycle or 180 degrees of the rotor 88, at all times at least one of the rollers, i. e., roller 89 is spaced from the tube and at least one of the rollers, i.e., roller 89 compresses the tube 16, thereby sealing the latter to prevent leakage of the contents of the bladder 45 when the device is idle.

Desirably, means are provided to limit the direction of rotation of rotor 88 so that it will turn only in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 3. Although any suitable means could be used for the purpose, the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is preferred. Thus a pawl I06 is pivotally mounted on the outer wall of shell I2 and normally urged by a spring I01. against the ratchet teeth I08 formed on the wall of a circular cavity in the handle 98.

The bladder 44 may be charged by removing closure plug 12 and afixing to the mouth of the conduit 66 a container such as a grease gun which desirably has a nipple which may be screwed into conduit 66.

The viscous material from the gun which is forced through conduit 66 and through bore 6| will flow both upwardly and downwardly through the longitudinal bore 59 of hub member 58. Inasmuch as one of the rollers on rotor 88, i. e., roller 89 as shown in Fig. 3 is compressing tube 18 against channel 81 and closing the same at the point of pressure, the viscous material forced through the conduit will not be able to pass through tube 16 and hence will pass into the bladder 44 which, as it is always collapsed to conform to the volume of material therein, will expand to receive the charge. Desirably, the gun feeds a measured charge, completely to fill the bladder, but not overstressing or rupturing it. When the bladder is charged the grease gun is removed and the closure plug 12 is replaced.

In use, handle 98 is turned, thereby rotating axle 93 in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 3. As the rotor is turned and roller 89 thereon is moved along the tube toward the outlet end 18 thereof, the normally open bore I05 of the tube will be progressively pressed closed to push any material ahead of the roller 89 and to expel it from the tube. The tube 16 returns to its normally open condition to the rear of the point of engagement of roller 89 with the tube.

As the outer surface of the bladder is under atmospheric pressure, such sustained pressure against the material in the bladder will cause the same to flow through the longitudinal bore 59 in hub 58 into the bore of tube 16 and hence the air void or vacuum in the tube caused by the movement of roller 89 will immediately be filled with viscous material from the bladder. As the supply of material in the bladder is gradually reduced, the bladder will progressively collapse under atmospheric pressure so as to follow the material therein and preclude any voids whether of air, gas or empty space between the bladder wall and the remaining viscous material and to avoid any vacuum the presence of which might tend to draw the viscous material away from the tubeand inhibit the flow of such material to charge the tube.

As roller 89 during continual turning of rotor 88 moves against the now charged tube and compresses the latter against channel 81, it will propel the material in the tube forward, while at the same time creating a void in the tube to the rear of the point of engagement thereof by the roller 89 so as again to charge the tube in the manner heretofore described. Thus, as the rotor is turned, the tube is subjected to a "milking" action and the material in advance of the rollers will be forced through the tube to be ejected from the outlet thereof and by reason of the void created to the rear'of the rollers, new material will continually flow from the bladder 44 into the tube 16, which material in turn will be ejected from the tube by the succeeding roller.

' In the event the rotor could be turned in the wrong direction i. e., in a clockwise direction asshown in Fig. 3, the action of the rollers against the tube would tend to pump air into the bladder A l. This would have no ill effects, for after a few turns of the handle 91 the user, upon seeing: that no material was ejected from discharge:

nozzle I9 would realize that the handle 91 was being rotated in the wrong direction and would thereupon rotate it in the reverse direction. How-- ever, as an additional safeguard to prevent excessive rotation in the wrong direction, as by children, the unidirectional mechanism previous- 1y described and shown in Fig. 5 is preferred. With the preferred construction thus described, the contents of the bladder is maintained only under atmospheric pressure and undue compression of the viscous material is avoided.

' While the container above described is preferred, it is, of course, to be understood that as previously suggested, the invention from its broader aspects could be carried out by storing the viscous material in other type containers. Thus, for example, a rigid cylinder could be used in which a slight pressure is exerted against the material as by a spring urged plunger or a normally open bore resilient sac could be used and a slight pressure could be exerted against the wall of the sac bya spring. In both cases the pressure exerted against the material causes the latter to flow into the voided tube.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the clai1ns,-it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a. limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A dispensing device comprising a flexible, substantially non-elastic normally collapsed bladder, a compressible self-restoring tube normally biased to open bore condition, having an inlet connected to said bladder and having a discharge outlet, the exterior face of said bladder being exposed to the outer air, said bladder being adapted by its flexible nature to follow and remain in contact with the contents thereof, a plurality of compression members associated with said tube and movable thereagainst and therealong progressively to compress the tube and expel the contents thereof from said outlet and seal the tube at the point of compression, at least one of said members being spaced from said tube, and at least one of said members compressing said tube to seal the latter, whereby the tube in automatically restoring itself to its normal open bore condition at the point of compression as said compression member is moved away therefrom will present a void into which material from the bladder will flow to re-charge the voided tube.

2. A dispensing device comprising a flexible, substantially non-elastic normally collapsed bladwas der, a, compressible seli-restoring tats hbr'rhally biased to open boreeondition, havingaqinjlet connected to said bladder andhay-i-ng a dischar e outlet the exterior f-aceof said blad de r being exposed to the outer air, said bladder bein adapted by its flexible nature to f ollow and r e; main in contact with the contents thereon a rigid supporting channel for said tube estending substantially the entire length thereof, a plurality of compression niernbers associated with said tube and movable thereagainst and therealong and reacting with said channel, progressively to compress the tube and expel the contents there:- of from said outlet and seal the tubeat the point of compression, at least one orsaid members being at all times spaced from; said tube; and at least one of said members at all times cornpress ing said tube to seal the latter, whereby the tube in automatically restoring itself to its normal open bore condition at the point of compression as said compression member is moved away therefrom will present a void tl erein into which material from the bladder will flow to re-charge the voided tube;

3. A dispensing device comprising a casing, a hub member rigidly mounted in said casing and having a longitudinal bore therethr ough and a transverse bore leading into said longitudinal bore, a container mounted in said casing, having a mouth affixed to said hub member and com nunication With pne end of said longitudinal bore; a compressible sols-restoring tube normally biased to open bore condition and having an inlet connected to said hubme rnber and in communication with the longitudinal bore therein, a filling aperture on the casing in communication with the transverse bore said hub member,- a rigid, substantially arcuate supporting channel tor said tubeextending substantially the entire length thereof; a rotor member co-ax-ial with said channel and having a plurality of spaced compression Ineansprojecting beyond the periphery thereot, at least one ofv said compression means at all times compressing said tube againstsaid channel to seal said tube and atleast one of said compression means being at all times spaced from said tube and out of engagement therewith, whereby upon turning of said rotor, the compression means will pro gressivel-y compress the tube against the channel from said inlet to said discharge outlet to expel the contents of said tube, and the tube upon returning to its normal open bore condition at the point of compression as the compression means is removed therefrom will present a void. therein, said containerbeing constructedand arranged to effect flow oi: material therefrom into said voided tube to recharge the latter. I

4. A dispensing device comprising a container,

at compressible self-restoring tube ndtm ny biased to open-bore condition and having. an inletcon ncfd to said (fofitaiiiel' and having diScfilg outlet; a rigid, substantially arcuat supporting cnannerrcf said a'ite xtefidifig' Substantially the entire length thereof, a rotor meme coaiifal with said hanfiel having a plurality of spaces conipfels's'idfi means" prt 'ctaigityand the periphery mere-615,. at least one or Said compresall can state said tu'b'eiaf id out of 'eri tas h e i .i si r P5 3 turf," said rotor, the tam'p essip qqs will p sively befittin the tube against F e non said inlet to sai'c i discharge outlast expel the batten-,5 c'f said ftub'e bh'd the"tube upgp re turning to its ne 'me ever; b'itf es itie at t P bf ii s' n tit e. a e sor can i 'e f 'fnmj l Pia et a o di g?- i iirf ii is ae rc lerrnember at: its a ai eeve fihei r p r .th' reet Sci?! i $1 m anwmp s alp u el ii' 7 e1 rollers rdtatably mounted on sa d rotor,;;si a therealong and positioned in said ovevgitl} i' nann .9 an p i ri e istin races the periphery of said rotor, sai-gl eqntainer being ss t ae an arr tasti st fl w o m t rial thereirorri into saidvoided tube to reat th later- 5' Av ififil i ii fi mpl' i a o tainer a corhpressible self -rstoring tube norn1al1y biased to open-bore condition and having an inlet connected to said container having adischarge outlet, a rigid; substantially arcuate supporting channel for said tube ektending substantially theenti-re length thereof; a rotor member coaxial with said channel and having a plurality of spacedcompression rneans projecting beyond the periphery thereof; at; -least one of said come pression m-eans at all times compressing said tube against said channel toseal said tube and at least one of said compression means being at all times spaced from said tube and out of en'- gagenient therewith; whereby upon turning of said rotor, the compression means will progress sively compress the tube against the channel irornsaid inlet to said discharge outlet to expel the contentsof said tube; and the tube upon re= turning; to its normaiopen bore condition at the pointof compression as the compression means is removed therefrom willpresent a void there'- said rotor having an axle rigid therewith; ahandle affixed to' said axle to rotate the latter, ratchet means operatively connected to said the and said handle to limit the direction of rota tion of said axle, said container beingconstructed and arranged to efiect flow of material there from into said voided tube to re c'harge the lat tel.

Boannrrn B. Guinean;

iteferenccs ited in the fileof this patent STATES PATENTS P 13?, f-,,.. 1%35 d Jur es; 91

a1g' allbv i M y 1. 19210 1. 2;

2.,483324 Oct". 4', 1949 FATE Number' Country Date 9,713 Great Britain Ju1iec; 1-891 0t 1891- 12,535 GreatBritain May 283191 2 of 1 912:

103930 Great Britain Feb. 1-5, 191'? 

